Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-02-05

: proposal OF marriage was faint cry OF
4astonishment, followed by sudden tremb-
fling that shook her from head to foot
4 Hardyman put his arm round her with n
gentleness which his Oldest friend would
have been surprised to see in him.
"Take your time to think of it, he said,
dropping back again into his usual quiet
Zone. IF you had known me a little better,
you wouldn't havo mistaken me, and you
wouldn't be looking at mo now as IL you
were afraid to believe your own ears What
Is there so very wonderful In my wanting to
marry youi don't set up for being saint.
When | was q young man was no better
@nd no worse) than other young men. Pm
I getting ON now to middle life. don't want
/ roraances and adventures; | want an easy
Aexistence with nice, lovable woman who
will make me good wife. You're the wo-
man, tell you again. / know it by what
I've seen of you myself, and by what have
heard Of you from Lady Lydiard. She said
YOU were prudent and sweet-tempered and
Affectionate; to which wish TO add that you
Ave just the face and figure that like, and
the modest manners and the blessed absence
of all slang in your talk which don't find
in the young women meet with in the pres
ent day. That's my view of 1t. think for
myself What does it matter to me whether
you're the daughter of duke or the daugh-
ter of dairymanl It isn't your father
want to marry it's you. Listen to reason,
= there's dearl We have only one question
Y a settle before we go back to your aunt.
You wouldn't eiiswer me when asked 1t
little while since win you answer nowl DO
you like met"
Isabel looked up at hin timidly.
sin my positionSss@ she asked "have |
any right to like youi What would your J.
1ations and friends think If | said Yesr
Hardyman gave her waist little admdni-
tory squeeze with his arm.
"Whatl You're at 1t againl A nice why
to answer a man. to call him sir, and to get
behind his rank as IL it were place of refuge
from himl hate talking Of myself, but you
orce me 10 It. Here is my position In the
world: l have got an elder brother; he is
married, and he has son to succeed him in
the title and the property. You understand
so farl Very WE'LL Years ago l shifted my
share of the rank whatever it may be) on
my brothers shoulders. He's thorough
u kgood fellow, and he has carried my dignity
for me, without once dropping it, ever
since. AS for what people may say they
have said 1t already, from my father and
mother downward, in the time when took
to the horses and the farm. II they're the
wise people l take them for, they won't be al
the trouble of saying it oil over again. No
no. Twist 1t how you may, Miss Isabel
whether I'm single or whether Pm married
I'm plain Alfred Hardyman; and everybody
who knows me knows that / go on my owl
way and please myself II you don't lils,
me, it will be the bitterest disappointment
Nver had in my life; but say so honestly, al
the samen
Where is the woman In Isabers plact
whose capacity for resistance would no
have yielded little to such an appeal a.
this9
81 should be an insensible wretch" she re
! Piled warmly, 'if didn't feel the honor yol
have done me, and feel it gratefully"
"Does that mean you will have me for
husbands" asked downright Hardyman.
She was fairly driven into corner; bu
~ (being woman she tried to slip through hi
fingers at the last moment.
"Will you forgive me" she said, "if I asl
for q little more times l am so bewildered,
ekprdly know what to say or do for the best
NtJu see, Mr. Hardyman, it would be dread
n 1 thing for me to be the cause> of your Civ
@ing offense to your family am obliged h
you Il will say nothing of myself If you
friends closed their doors on me- They nigh
Gay was designing girl, who had takel
advantage of your good opinion to raise her
self in the world Lady Lydiard warnet
y me long since not to be ambitious about my
self, and not to forget my station in life, be
cause she treated me like her adopted daugl
ter Indeed-indeed, can't tell you how
feel your goodness and the complimentary
very great compliment-you pay me. M,
heart is free; and If followed my own In
clinations--" She checked herself consciou
that she was on the brink of saying too much
"Will you give me few days she pleaded
ito try il can think composedly of all this
I am only girl, and / feel quite dazzled b
the prospect that you set before me-"
Hardyman seized on these words as offer
ing all the encouragement that he desire
to his suit
"Have your own way in this thing, and Il
hAnverything! he said, with an unaccustome
iervor of language and manner. 81 am s
glad to hear that your heart is open to me
and that all your inclinations take my part
Isabel instantly protested against this mis-
representation Of what she had really said
"Oh, Mr. Hardyman, you quite mistak
me-"
+, He answered her very much as he ha
answered Lady Lydiard when she had trie
to make him understand his proper relation
toward isabel
mo, no; don't mistake you. agree t
every word you say. How can ] expec
you to marry me, as you verv properly re
mark, unless give you a day or two
make up your mind2 It's quite enough fo
me that you like the prospect If Lad
Lydiard treated you as her daughter VIII
shouldn't you be my wifel 1t stands I
= aseason that you're quite right to marry
Aman who can raise you in the world / lik
you to be ambitious, though Heaven know
1t isn't much can do for you, except to Low
you with all my heart Still it's gre5
encouragement to hear that her ladyship
views agree with mine"
''They don't agree, Mr. Hardyman," Or,
tested poor Isabel. "You are entirely mi
representing
Hardyman cordially concurred in this vie
of the matter. "Yesl yes! l can't preten
to represent her ladyShip's language, {
yours either; | am obliged TO take my wore
as they come to me. Don't disturb yourse
it's all right understand You hay
made ne the happiest man living. l sha
ride over tomorrow to your aunts hou,
and hear what you have 70 say to me- Min
you're at home Not dav must pass witt
sbut my seeing YOU do love you, Isabel
do indeedm He stopped and kissed h,
heartily "Onlv TO reward me-" he O.
planned, 'for giving you time to think"
4.